Mar 9, 2010
North Carolina firmly inserted itself into Tuesday’s headlines by failing to place a player on any of the All-ACC basketball squads that were announced Monday afternoon, marking the first time in the program’s history that a Tar Heel has not appeared on that award list.
That development is only fitting as UNC has broken records and streaks at a frightening pace this season. It’s become commonplace for sportswriters to frantically search through Tar Heel history after games this season in an attempt to unearth the latest fallen trend or statistic.
Never before has a North Carolina media guide been this popular as the black market value continues to soar to absurd levels.
The statistician’s dream started in Arlington, Tex., on Dec. 19. In its 103-90 victory, Texas pulled down 29 offensive rebounds, the most ever against a Williams-led squad. The Longhorns’ 103 points also represented the most points scored in regulation against UNC in the Williams’ era.
Once the ACC schedule arrived, records started falling left and right. Clemson’s 19-point victory on Jan. 13 marked UNC’s worst loss under Roy, only to be broken a month later by Maryland’s 92-71 win in College Park. Duke blasted those margins out of the water on Saturday with its 82-50 clinic at Cameron Indoor.
North Carolina’s 82-69 loss to Wake Forest on Jan. 20 produced the first three-game losing streak under Williams, but the Tar Heels bested that record three weeks later with a four-game losing streak, culminating with a home loss to Duke on Feb. 10.
For the first time in program history, the Tar Heels failed to score 80 points or more in at least one conference game. Currently scoring 75.7 points per game, this North Carolina squad will likely become only the fourth team in Williams’ 22 seasons that failed to average 80 or more points per outing.
But we’re not done yet. Not even close.
UNC set eight single-games lows during the Williams’ era this season – field goals (16 at Duke), field goal percentage in a half (22.6 at Georgia Tech), 3-point field goals (1 at Boston College), 3-point field goal attempts (four vs. Gardner-Webb), rebound margin (minus-19 vs. Texas), points (50 at Duke), points in a half (21 at Georgia Tech) and scoring margin (32-point loss at Duke).
The Tar Heels also set a single-game high under their Hall of Fame coach, coughing up 26 turnovers to both Florida International and Clemson.
While we’re at it, we may as well mention that Williams’ streak of 20 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances with a win – the only coach to ever accomplish that feat – is an ACC Tournament loss away from being broken. And speaking of that old cocktail party, UNC is playing on Thursday for the first time ever.
On the injury front, eight different Tar Heels have missed a combined 35 games. Prior to injuring his back against Miami last Tuesday, Deon Thompson had been lone UNC scholarship player to avoid suffering an injury this season.
“I haven’t had anything like that ever,” Williams said concerning the plethora of injuries on Monday.
The injuries have no doubt played a role in this season’s 15-14 (5-11 ACC) record, but the countless other issues plaguing this squad have been discussed ad nauseam – shaky point guard play, lack of leadership, minimal perimeter shooting, inconsistent post play, etc.
Williams was asked during Monday’s press conference if he had considered the possibility that, for whatever reason, this was just not intended to be his season.
He responded by saying, “No – I get emotional, I get sad, I get frustrated, I get ticked off and then I go back to work. There’s sometimes where I’ve felt like… I can’t describe it. It’s not a good feeling. But I go back to work. That’s the only way that I know how to do something.”
But there's no doubt where the '09-'10 season ranks in his internal database.
“This has been the most frustrating season by far,” Williams said. “It’s not even close to what my first year was at Kansas, not even close to what my first year back was at North Carolina… There’s no question that I haven’t had anything like this. I haven’t done a very good job with it either, so I need to get better.”
With the losses mounting and the records falling, the obvious disappointment that this season represents serves as an albatross that will settle on this program until victories return by the truckload to Chapel Hill.
“It’s just not what you expected,” fifth-year senior Marcus Ginyard said. “It’s not the way you wanted to see it happen and not the way you would have ever imagined it happening. But it’s the way it’s going, so we’ve got to find a way to deal with it.”
Now that the regular season is over, North Carolina’s only chance at an NCAA Tournament berth is to add another “first” to its season-long list – becoming the first program to claim the ACC Tournament title by winning four straight games this weekend in Greensboro, N.C.
Rank: Sports Legend - Posted by TruthBKnown ReturnsUNC will do good in the NCAA tournament..its the injuries that are killen us!- Posted by csaylor2316
We need perimeter shooting!
GO HEELS!!
NCAA tournament? You must mean 2011 or 2012?
Injuries are killing Carolina. And lousy players and coaching, too! ;)
Rank: Sports Legend - Posted by TruthBKnown Returns- Posted by jrj6950- Posted by LiggIt will be interesting to see how these guys react when their back are ltierally against the wall. If you win then live to fight another day...lose and the nightmare is over.- Posted by SME2
I just do not understand how people are not calling for DadGums head on a platter?
We aren't like state fans who run off thier coach every 3 or 4 years. Roy is one of the best coaches in america and this season is a fluke.
this season is hardly a fluke for you guys.
The fluke was having a player like Tyler Hansbrough for four years.
Rank: Sports Legend I am a Duke fan but I think that UNC could have won more games but for Williams's ego. If your team can't run and win then let them walk and win some. He would put players into the game, they would do ok and then he would pull them out and go back to the same old stuff. UNC may come back but unless he changes his ways it is going to take a while. I have waited a long time in football but it seems at last that Duke has finally turned the corner. UNC fans should stay behind their team ever if Williams is the coach. After all you had to ask him twice.- Posted by twodogsandus
Rank: Sports Legend UNC will do good in the NCAA tournament..its the injuries that are killen us!- Posted by csaylor2316
We need perimeter shooting!
GO HEELS!!
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